Hello everyone! Long time no see! I’ve been living it up in the big sky country and let me tell you, winters here aren’t nearly as bad as people say. (We’re going to ignore the fact that this winter has been one of the driest winters in the western US for a very long time.)
Anyway, what you’re all here for: once again, I’ve come in as First Runner-Up for the Must Read Books (formerly Dell) award! This time, it was for my story KINESIS, which can be best summarized as “what happens when people develop superpowers in a far-future desert apocalypse” mixed with the usual propensity of science fiction to comment on current world events. That story is on submission to a few places, so fingers crossed you’ll all be able to read it in print within the next year!
Speaking of print, here’s my other big news: I am officially a nominee for the 2026 Astounding Award! For those of you not in the know, the Astounding Award is “given to the best new science fiction or fantasy writer whose first work of science fiction or fantasy was published in a professional publication in the previous two years.” Thanks to the publications of Lolo’s Last Run in Asimov’s and Black Gold in Apex earlier this year, this is the first of two years where I am eligible for the award. If you like either of those stories, send a vote my way!
Anywho, thanks to the MRB award, I will once again be attending ICFA in Orlando later this spring. This year, there will be a special reading event for MRB Award runners-up, and I hope to see some familiar faces there!
That’s all from me, for now. As always, adventure awaits!
e. m. kerkman 
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